When starting a new dropshipping business, one of the challenges we often hear about is finding suppliers that offer quality products at affordable prices.
You have finished setting up the basics of your ecommerce store and are ready to start searching for a product. But where do you find the best suppliers in China?
China’s manufacturing industry has been experiencing rapid growth over the past decade and offers many opportunities for businesses looking for the best dropshipping suppliers.
However, with so many suppliers, it can be hard to pick one.
Today, we have compiled a list of the best 11 dropshipping suppliers in China, with an emphasis on fast shipping and customer service. In this article, you will find information about each of our top picks as well as links to their websites!
5 Things to look out for when searching for a Chinese dropshipping supplier
China offers plenty of dropshipping suppliers to choose from.
However, if you are looking to choose the best supplier for your business, you may want to look out for a couple of things that differentiate one supplier from another.
This section will go over five things you should consider if you are looking for the best dropshipping supplier in China!
You can also check out our infographic below:
Awesome, right?
Let’s dive more in-depth now:
1. Product quality
It doesn’t matter whether you have a niche store or a general store. It’s always best to work with a supplier that offers high-quality products.
Selling low-quality products might earn you a quick buck, but that won’t last for long.
After a while, customers will notice your product’s lack of quality and start sending you complaints. It’s likely they won’t buy other products from your store in the future, making your email marketing list pretty much useless.
Try ordering a product sample before you start dropshipping it to examine the quality. Also, scan through the supplier’s reviews and try to find out if others are satisfied with the product’s quality.
2. Shipping time
The shipping time is another important thing you should consider when picking a dropshipping supplier.
In general, Chinese dropshipping suppliers have a reputation of having long shipping times.
It is true that you won’t beat the shipping time of a local dropshipping supplier, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it.
A supplier that uses the right shipping methods and has short order processing times will greatly benefit your business.
3. Customer service
If you’re working with a dropshipping supplier, the last thing you would want to spend your time on is dealing with their tasks like finding the best shipping methods or searching for the details of a specific product.
The best dropshipping suppliers will offer 24/7 customer support to help you with any problems, ranging from dealing with refunds to answering questions about the product.
4. Pricing
One of the main goals of dropshipping is to sell products and earn money.
To earn as much money as possible, you will need to sell your products at the right price, which is why you need a pricing strategy. It will help you to maximize your profits and stay competitive.
One of the main elements that determine your product’s selling price is the price you pay the supplier.
By using a supplier with low product prices, you will be able to either lower your own product’s price and increase your conversion rate or keep the product’s price and increase your profit margin. Either way, your profits will increase!
To read more about the best way to price your product, check out our pricing strategy guide here!
5. Integration
Using a supplier with great products and a fast shipping time is great, but if they don’t offer any integration options, the fun will quickly fade away.
You don’t want to be spending time manually ordering all products from your supplier, especially when you are scaling.
With an integration, you will often be able to benefit from handy features like automatic stock tracking and order processing.
For example, if you’re using Shopify, you will be able to download the CJdropshipping app on Shopify’s app store and benefit from easy product imports and a convenient order fulfillment service.
The 11 best dropshipping suppliers in China
With that out of the way, we can now start with the list of China’s best dropshipping suppliers!
We hope to make this list as valuable as possible, so for each one of these suppliers, we will:
- Include a link to their website. You will be able to either click on the title or on the screenshot of their homepage to check out their website.
- Shortly introduce the supplier. This way, you learn about the supplier and its unique features.
- Give you the pros & cons. This will help you to make an educated decision about which supplier to pick.
- Tell you how to connect this supplier to your store. This way, we can guide you in the right direction to integrate the supplier with your own store.
- Tell you about their pricing plans. So you will know what to expect when you’re going to work with them.
Let’s begin!
1. AliExpress
If you are looking for a dropshipping supplier in China, AliExpress is still one of the best places to look.
Dropshipping with AliExpress is still a profitable business model in 2021, but you need the right knowledge to find the best suppliers and get the fastest shipping times.
Fun fact: Did you know that AliExpress doesn’t allow people living in China to buy products on the platform?
Pros
- Cashback. If you didn’t know already, you can get 4.3% – 5.9% cashback on all your AliExpress orders, which is great for your product’s pricing strategy. To read how, check out this article.
- Easy refunds for missing orders. If a product you bought on AliExpress doesn’t get delivered, you can easily start a dispute. More often than not, you will get your money refunded.
- AliExpress dropshipping center. The AliExpress Dropshipping Center is a tool that helps you analyze products before selling them and more!
Cons
- Transparent. Because AliExpress is so popular, competitors or customers will often try to find your product on the platform.
- Dishonest suppliers. Don’t immediately believe anything a supplier tells you. This also counts for the other suppliers on this list. Check out this article to learn how to find the best suppliers on AliExpress.
How do you connect AliExpress to your store?
You will need a separate app to connect AliExpress with your store.
To do this, you can use Oberlo or one of its awesome alternatives!
Pricing
AliExpress is free to use.
2. CJdropshipping
CJdropshipping is an all-in-one solution that will help you source products from dropshipping suppliers and sell them worldwide.
Like AliExpress, CJdropshipping offers a wide selection of products. But the special thing about CJdropshipping is that you will find suppliers with warehouses located all over the world, including Japan, Canada, the US, and more!
Pros
- Warehouses all over the world. You may be looking for a dropshipping in China, but when your product is available to be shipped from a warehouse that is closer to your customer, why wouldn’t you do it?
- Sourcing requests. If you can’t find the product you’re looking for in CJdropshipping’s catalog, they can help you source it! To submit a sourcing request, you will first have to create an account, which you can do here.
- Many shipping options. CJdropshipping offers many unique shipping options that help you get products to your customers in the fastest and cheapest way possible.
Cons
- High shipping costs when using local warehouses. When shipping a product from a local warehouse, it’s not uncommon for the shipping costs to be between $5 and $15 per product.
- User-friendliness. For beginners, it can be challenging to learn how to use CJdropshipping’s user interface.
How do you connect CJdropshipping to your store?
CJdropshipping offers a Shopify app. If you use any of the Shopify alternatives, you can use CJdropshipping’s web app.
To check their web app, you will first have to create an account here.
Pricing
CJdropshipping is free. The price for the service is added to the product and shipping costs.
3. Alibaba
Alibaba was always known as a great place to buy products in bulk. It wasn’t specifically suited for dropshipping and buying products one by one.
Lately however, Alibaba has been shifting its focus on dropshipping businesses more and more.
If you are interested in learning more about the possibilities of dropshipping with Alibaba, check out this article!
Pros
- Alibaba Dropshipping Center. The Alibaba Dropshipping Center is a new tool that allows you to find dropshipping suppliers on Alibaba, import new products to your store, and more. Read more about it here!
- Private labeling. Alibaba is an excellent platform to look for a private label dropshipping supplier.
- Buy from the source. Considering you are buying products straight from the factory, Alibaba is one of the cheapest places to shop.
Cons
- Not all products are available for dropshipping. There are still many products on Alibaba that require a MOQ. Luckily, the Alibaba Dropshipping Center makes it much easier to find dropshipping suppliers on Alibaba.
- Limited features on the Alibaba Dropshipping Center. One of the cons of the Alibaba Dropshipping Center is that it misses some features like advanced filters and analysis tools.
How do you connect Alibaba to your store?
You can connect Alibaba to your store using an app like Syncee.
Or, if you don’t want to use Syncee, you can use one of Alibaba’s other partners here.
Pricing
Alibaba is free.
4. uDroppy
uDroppy is a platform similar to CJdropshipping. It’s a platform that includes solutions for the sourcing, fulfilling, and shipping of your products.
uDroppy works with more than 900 dropshipping suppliers and provides you with thousands of products to choose from.
Pros
- Product selection. uDroppy works with more than 900 dropshipping suppliers and provides you with thousands of products to choose from.
- Scale without limits. uDroppy can assist your business to grow to the next level by providing help with private labeling, custom packaging, local warehouses, and more!
- One-click order fulfillment. Fulfilling all your orders can be done with a single press of the button.
Cons
- Few integration possibilities. Currently, uDroppy only supports integrations with Shopify.
- Paid. uDroppy is one of the few Chinese dropshipping suppliers that may require a monthly subscription.
How do you connect uDroppy to your store?
uDroppy can be connected to Shopify stores. Integrations for WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Wix are planned to be added soon.
To learn more about uDroppy’s integration possibilities, check out this here.
Pricing
uDroppy’s pricing plans can be seen below:
5. Wiio
Wiio is a company that aims to be the all-in-one dropshipping platform.
That’s why Wiio isn’t solely a dropshipping supplier. Instead, it’s a platform that works similarly to a dropshipping agent:
Pros
- 100% Guaranteed cheaper than AliExpress. This is one of Wiio’s guarantees. It’s a great sign that you won’t be paying too much for product costs!
- Fast shipping. Wiio’s team will ensure that your packages are shipped out using the most cost-efficient and fastest shipping methods.
Cons
- High shipping costs. In most cases, these are higher than on AliExpress, making it possible that the total price you pay on Wiio is still higher compared to AliExpress.
- Best used when scaling. If you are getting multiple orders per day, Wiio will likely be cheaper and faster compared to a supplier on AliExpress.
How do you connect Wiio to your store?
Connect Wiio to your Shopify or WooCommerce store using their:
Pricing
You can use Wiio without any monthly fees!
6. HyperSKU
HyperSKU is a platform that works similarly to Wiio.
When you start using HyperSKU, a team will help you with things like:
- Sourcing products
- Customizing your packages
- Storing your products in warehouses
- Finding the fastest and cheapest shipping methods
Pros
- Automation features. Thanks to one-click fulfillment, you won’t have to spend much time processing orders. Besides, tracking numbers and order statuses can be synced to your store automatically!
- Fast delivery times. According to HyperSKU, a package can be shipped from China to the US or EU in just seven days.
- Guaranteed working product. This dropshipping supplier offers a 100% refund for defective products.
Cons
- Products could be relatively expensive. HyperSKU doesn’t charge monthly fees for their service, so they will likely increase the prices of their products a bit. HyperSKU used to charge a 2% handling fee, but it is waived at the moment of writing.
How do you connect HyperSKU to your store?
HyperSKU can be connected to a Shopify store using HyperSKU’s Shopify app. If you are using WooCommerce, learn how to connect HyperSKU here.
Pricing
HyperSKU will be free to use for most people. Those who operate more than ten stores will have to pay 10$ per store per month.
7. Zendrop
Zendrop is a dropshipping platform with a mission to help people find reliable suppliers. Let’s take a look at its pros and cons!
Pros
- Offers US fulfillment as well. If you are looking to improve your store’s delivery time, you may want to take a look at Zendrop’s US suppliers. (Or, take a look at our list of 14 US dropshipping suppliers!)
- 24/7 support. You will be able to utilize Zendrop’s support team to get help for your business all around the clock.
- Custom branding. Zendrop can help you get started with private labeling or something like adding a custom thank-you card to your packages.
Cons
- Only works with Shopify. At this moment, you will only be able to use Zendrop in combination with a Shopify store.
- Access to all features isn’t free. If you need features like automated fulfillment or live chat support, you will have to pay for Zendrop’s Pro plan.
- Questionable reputation. In the past, many people had bad experiences when working with Zendrop. However, it seems that most of the negativity has passed, considering that the Zendrop Shopify app has a 4.5-star rating.
How do you connect Zendrop to your store?
You can connect your store using Zendrop’s Shopify app.
Pricing
Zendrop is free if your store gets less than 50 orders per month. If that’s not the case, you will either have to pay $49 or $499 per month, depending on the features you want:
8. DealeXtreme
DealeXtreme. As you might have guessed, this website tries to offer you the most extreme deals!
Below, you will see an example of one. A portable gaming mouse for only $4.49 with free shipping:
Pros
- Great prices. You’ve seen it yourself; DealeXtreme has some awesome deals!
- Unique shipping methods. Products are shipped using various shipping methods to minimize shipping times.
Cons
- It may be too good to be true. DealeXtreme promises a 7-18 days shipping time, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes longer. Also, I recommend ordering a sample of the product first to check its quality.
- It could be difficult to track your order. When reading reviews about DealeXtreme, a frequent complaint was that it’s pretty difficult to track an order. However, this will also depend on the shipping method you choose.
How do you connect DealeXtreme to your store?
You can import DealeXtreme products to your Shopify store using a tool called Importify. For more information on how it works, check out this article.
Pricing
DealeXtreme has no monthly fees and can be accessed by anyone.
9. Geekbuying
Geekbuying is a Chinese dropshipping supplier focussing on products in the electronics niche.
Pros
- Dropshipping program. Geekbuying offers a dropshipping program, where you will be able to use their product pictures, get access to a special customer support team, and get discounts on your orders!
- Many high-ticket products are available. Considering Geekbuying operates in the electronics niche, it offers quite some high-ticket products. For example, take a look at this electric step that costs over $1k.
Cons
- It may not be the best choice for beginners. If you are new to dropshipping, it’s generally recommended to stay away from the electronics niche since a low-quality product in this niche can cause many refund requests.
How do you connect Geekbuying to your store?
Geekbuying can be connected to your store using the Importify tool.
Pricing
Geekbuying is free!
10. Chinabrands
Chinabrands is another website that’s an alternative to AliExpress.
The platform’s dropshipping suppliers manage warehouses all over the globe, so it’s a good choice if you are dropshipping to one of the best countries to target.
Check out this page on Chinabrands’ website if you would like to learn more about dropshipping with them.
Pros
- Many warehouse locations. This is a platform where you will find Chinese suppliers, but also suppliers that use other warehouse locations!
- Wide variety of products. From office tools to gardening equipment, everything can be found on Chinabrands.
Cons
- High shipping rates. It seems that Chinabrands charges more for shipping compared to AliExpress.
- Check your suppliers. Don’t forget to check your suppliers and do a test order before dropshipping the product.
How do you connect Chinabrands to your store?
Chinabrands can be connected to your store using Importify or DSM Tool.
Pricing
Chinabrands is free to use. However, it’s recommended for dropshippers to pay $3.99 per month for the VIP program, which unlocks additional discounts:
11. DHgate
Let’s end today’s list with DHgate, a Chinese platform offering all kinds of dropshipping products.
Pros
- Extensive collection of low-priced products. Just like some of the other suppliers on this list, DHgate offers many cheap products. A good idea is to check all platforms and see where you can find the best supplier for the product you are looking to dropship!
Cons
- Minimum order requirement. A few products on DHgate are not suited for dropshipping, as they require you to purchase more than one.
How do you connect DHgate to your store?
You can use one of the following automation tools (read more here):
Pricing
DHgate is free to access and use.
How do you get faster delivery times with a dropshipping supplier in China?
Dropshipping suppliers in China may be able to supply you with cheap products.
A benefit of this is that you will spend less on product costs, increasing your profits at the end of the month.
However, one thing will always remain a disadvantage when using Chinese dropshipping suppliers:
You will never achieve the delivery times that local dropshipping suppliers can achieve.
Still, there are ways of getting faster delivery times when using a dropshipping supplier in China.
Keep on reading to find out how!
Tip: If you are using AliExpress and are interested in even more tips to minimize your delivery times, check out this article!
Find the best shipping method for your country
To start off, let me tell you this; the “best shipping method for dropshipping” does not exist.
For some countries, ePacket may be the fastest shipping option, while for a different country, it could be one of the slowest options.
Most supplier platforms like AliExpress will show you an estimated shipping time, but these are often inaccurate.
Therefore, there is only one way to find out; test out all the options!
For example, in the image above, you could try testing the shipping options “AliExpress Standard Shipping” and “Cainiao Expedited Standard” as they cost roughly the same, and both include shipping.
Find the supplier that offers the fastest processing times
When it comes to the total delivery time of your product, the actual shipping time is only part of the story.
To get the fastest delivery time possible, you have to consider your supplier’s order processing time as well.
Some suppliers can ship out your order in one or two days, while others will take as much as seven!
Above, you will see products listed on AliExpress. Using an extension from Oberlo, the supplier’s processing times are displayed.
As you can imagine, using a supplier with a processing time of three days is much better compared to a supplier with a processing time of seven days!
Use a dropshipping agent
If you are still having issues with your delivery times while dropshipping with a Chinese supplier, using a good dropshipping agent will probably solve it.
A dropshipping agent is an alternative to a dropshipping supplier. It’s a person that will source, store, pack, and ship products for your store:
Dropshipping agents can offer several advantages for your business, one of which is faster shipping times!
One of the tasks that your dropshipping agent should perform is finding out exactly which shipping methods work the best for each country.
Often, dropshipping agents won’t use typical shipping methods that you will see on a platform on AliExpress. An experienced agent will know exactly which shipping methods to use for the fastest delivery times.
For example, he or she might use 4PX to send packages to Germany and YunExpress for sending packages to Austria.
Conclusion
While more and more local options start popping up, doing business with dropshipping suppliers in China is still a viable option in 2021.
Chinese dropshipping supplier platforms like AliExpress offer almost every product you can think of for bottom-shelf prices.
Besides, other platforms also exist that offer an even more convenient dropshipping experience with features like custom packaging and one-click order fulfillment. For example, you can take a look at uDroppy.
Delivery times will always remain a matter of debate when using Chinese suppliers, but luckily there are ways of improving them, as we have explained above.
Let me know if you have been able to find a supplier today that fits your business!
- Can You Do Dropshipping With Alibaba? (The Answer Is Here!)
- How to Start Dropshipping From China in 2021 (& Should You?)
- AliExpress Dropshipping In 2021: The Pros and Cons of This Model
